Infrastructure spending rose 30 percent in August but still fell short of the government’s target, Budget Department data show Friday.
Infrastructure and capital outlays increased 29.2 percent to P25.4 billion in august from P19.7 billion on year.
The figure, however, was P2 billion or 7.3 percent short of the government’s target of P27.4 billion for infrastructure spending in August.
Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said the Public Works and Highways and National Defense improved their utilization rates for notices of cash allocation in August.
Meanwhile, personal services rose 0.2 percent to P44.8 billion, while maintenance and other operating expenses increased 46.1 percent to P32.8 billion.
Interest payments decreased 20 percent to P16.5 billion from the P20.6 billion in the same period in 2014.
Abad noted the continued decrease in interest payments and net lending this year. Gabrielle H. Binaday